THE COST OF VALENTINE’S DAY

The usual Valentine’s Day staples will set you back an average of $512.03. This according to Bankrate.com, who put together its first “Be My Valentine Index,” a basket of goods and services associated with that one thing of infinite value: love. The five items and their average prices are:
– A box of chocolates: $15.11
– Diamond earrings: $323.26
– A dozen roses: $41.66
– Dinner for two: $80.46
– A bottle of champagne: $51.54
The $512.03 total makes Valentine’s Day more costly than Halloween (an average $74 spent) and Mother’s Day (an average $173 spent).
* Would this be cheaper if I used Priceline?
* I’d say, “Here’s the list, honey. Pick one. Not the earrings.”
* Or go in with a buddy and give your wives just one earring apiece this year.
* “No, honey. That’s how they’re wearing them in Paris this season. Yeah, just one.”
* Of course you’ve also got to consider the even higher cost of breaking up.
* A dozen roses for $41.66? Not at MY Walmart.
* Valentine’s Day. What a great tradition. It hits just when you’ve almost paid off the credit cards from Christmas.
* Maybe the real problem here is we’re taking romantic advice from a site called bankrate.com.
* Here’s some advice that you can count on: No matter if you do all these things or pass on them, do NOT forget the card with the corny message on it. They love that.